Interaction between customs services of Central Asia States needs to strengthen, say participants at OSCE Almaty conference

ALMATY, 26 July 2007 - Countries in Central Asia need to strengthen governance and foster co-operation among their customs services, concluded participants at an OSCE-organized conference that ended in Almaty today.

Over 70 representatives of national customs departments, business associations, international and non-governmental organizations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan identified specific recommendations that could improve customs and harmonize border procedures in Central Asia.

The two-day event was organized by the OSCE Secretariat and the OSCE Centre in Astana.

"This meeting is an excellent example of the willingness of Central Asian Governments to co-operate closer in addressing common challenges, overcome barriers and fully utilize the economic development potential of the region," said Ambassador Ivar Vikki, the Head of the OSCE Centre.

"Exchanging information among relevant authorities and involving other stakeholders in the decision-making processes build confidence and helps identify the necessary solutions."

Participants discussed how to promote good governance in the customs sector, and agreed on several recommendations related to human resources management, national and regional inter-agency co-operation, promoting integrity, involvement of the private sector and the implementation of key customs-related international legal instruments.

Robert Nowak, Economic Affairs Officer at the Transport Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, added: "International legal instruments offer a solid framework to address border crossing challenges. When implemented effectively, both at national and regional levels, they can result in greater trade and economic growth. Fundamental and low cost approaches such as co-ordination of domestic frontier controls and international co-operation appear to offer the greatest economic rewards."

An expert-level meeting on progress made in implementing the 2003 Almaty Programme of Action - a UN-endorsed programme aimed at improving the transit transport situation in landlocked countries, will be held tomorrow. The event will bring together senior transport and customs officials from the region.

The recommendations and conclusions of both meetings in Almaty will be presented at a high-level OSCE conference on developing trans-Asian and Eurasian transit transport co-operation which will be held in Dushanbe on 23 and 24 October.